Means for fastening electric-lamp sockets.



W. G. TREGONING. MEANS FOR FASTENING ELEGTBIG LAMP socxnws. APPLICATION FILED JUNE5, 1911.

1,075,612, Patented 001.14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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W. G. TREGONING. MEANS ron FASTENING ELECTRIC LAMP socxn'rs.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 5, 1911.

Patented 0015.14, 1913.

2 BHEHT8-8EBET 2.

WILLIAM C. TREGONING, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE TBEGONING ELEC- TRIO MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION.

MEANS FOR FASTENING ELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKETS.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

Application filed June 5, 1911. Serial No. 631,812.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. Tnncon- ING, citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Fastening Electric-Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for fastening electric lamp sockets, all substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lamp socket and the means for securing the same in using position. Fig. 2 is a face or bottom view of Fig. 1, looking in from the left. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the said parts at right angles to Fig. 1 and partially sectioned. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the socket shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the socket supportin plate. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of t e yoke for fastening the socket on said plate. Sheet 2, Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to'Fig. 1 with a slight modification of the socket and yoke, and Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view of the socket next to the plate and showing the yoke as in Fig. 7 but having a modification of the enlargement about the base of the socket and as hereinafter fully described. Fig. 9 is a side elevation and Fig. 10 a cross sectional elevation of another slightly modified form of socket and yoke, and Fig. 11 is a 'plan view ofthe blank from which the yoke is subsequently fashioned into the shape shown.

For the most part the invention herein resides in the yoke Y, and said yoke is remedial as to at least one grave defect in electric lamp socket supports as heretofore made and used. Of course it is to be understood that these sockets, or sockets to which this invention relates, are such as are cominonly used in electric signs and like dis- 'play work, wherein different designs are worked out and the display is in straight,

curved and other lines according to thenature of the design or the shape of the letter or character to be deline m lights.

For example, as heretoforemade the porcelain or like socket S had opposite side lugs or equivalent means, such as a flange at its base through which it was secured to the plate P, or its equivalent as a means of support, and said support was and is a fixture upon the sign and is provided with a hole 2 for the socket, and side slots 3, or their equivalent for the fastening screws. In other words the said plate is made and prepared with socket holes 2 wherever the des1gn.requires a lamp, and has the slots 3 or like provision for making engagement by means of fastening screws or other means. However, the mechanic who puts up the plate and works out the design with socket holes finishes his work when this is done and then the electrician. comes ontothe scene. He has to deal with wires and terminals and owing to the great diversity of conditions which different designs impose he frequently finds it difiicult to run his wires and make connections owing to the arbitrarily arranged holes or places for connection as left by the mechanic. Hence the present invention, which enables the electrician to go to any job and afix the lamps and run the wires in the most advantageous way and without any regard whatever to the disposition of the socket holes 2 and slots 3 for the fastening screws, and which no longer remain a limitation or embarrassment in his work.

Now, having a porcelain or like socket S, say of theusual kind except 'as modified herein, as will be presently be seen, I come to the fixed plate P with said socket as usual but along with it I bring a fastening yoke Y. This is the new element hereinbefore mentioned and consists in this instance of a single piece of metal having the finished form seen best in Fig. 6 and adapted to fit snugly down over the slightly tapered body of the socket upon the flange or rim or like enlargement 4 about the base of the socket. It will be seen that originally the sides 5 of the yoke are straight and parallel and that they are bent at right angles across the otherwise flat ends 6, and afterward shaped segmentally to conform to the side of the socket. This brings said sides into firm grip on t e socket-body. The said exbut that a tight binding efiect is produced cesses tremities 6 are perforated to receive the screws by which the socket is fixed in place. These'screws of course pass through the slots 3, where' the socketlugs have been arbitrarily required to come heretofore regard' less of the convenience to the electrician who set the lamps, but having the yoke as the fastening means the socket is left free to be rotated to br'in the electrical terminals 7 to the most avai able position or relation for connecting up regardless of the plate fastenin and thus the utmost possible liberty is a orded for running the wires and making connections hereand there as conditions or convenience may suggest. Of course means must be provided for finally fixing or holding the socket against rotation in the yoke so as to prevent its rotation when the lamp is screwed therein. This can be done in various ways but one way is shown-in Figs.

land 4, wherein my new form of socket is shown as being without lugs but as having a base w1th occasional recesses or depressions 8 in its top edge adapted to be engaged by the lip 9 on the lower edge of the yoke. The socket can be turned rotarily as convenience in wir'ng may" require and thus be engaged by s id lip in one o'fsaid rewhen the ybke can be 'clafnped down and the work is one. It wil be noticed that the ends 6 of the yoke are depressed in respect;to-the sides thereof but not so far when the screws-a are tightened therein, as in Figs. 1 and 3. L

The particulars asv to both socket and yoke as above described can of course be largely varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, but it is to be especially noted that this socket has no individual means of fastening it, to the plates and that'the only means consist in yoke Y bearing on the lateral rim or portion about the base of thelsocket. As to this, the said rimor enlargement itself might be substituted by lateral projections 10 more or less spaced apart for the yoke to engage upon, and these could provide for interlocking the yoke as against rotation of the socket when the lamp is screwed into place as seen in Fig. 8. In Fig. 7 I show a modification in which the recesses 8'and lip 9 are reversed, the recesses-8f being in the yoke and the lip 9 on the socket. p

In Figs. 9 and 10 the socket has a series of flat panels or faces 12 and yoke Y is constructed to correspond therewith. In .all the 'severalviews-of the socket the top or'head thereof-is provided with opposite recesses 14 plain rim or enlargement about its for insertion of the electric-terminals'or terminal members 7, which may be constructed their equivalent. The part or device Y also is preferably describedflas a yoke, but this term is understood to be elastic and to'com- 'prehend any means adapted to be sleeved or slipped over or upon the socket and serving as a fastening medium therefor, and obviously, the shape or form of this devi may be considerably varied from what is' hereinshown and serve the. same purposes, whether it. be made in one or more. parts which have the sustaining relation and value of the single piece yoke shown, my claim 'being that I am first and original in employing any such means for engaging a lamp socket in place whatever shape or form it may assume. In Fig. 8 the equivalent of lip 9 is provided in yoke Y by lips 15 formed on flat ends 6, and in Fig. 11 the dotted lines'represent their relation in the blank.

In addition to the advantages enumerated, a yoke Y constructed substantially as described is exceptionally stron and particularly adapted to withstand t e stralns and pressures brought to bear thereon in screwing the lamp into the socket. There is also less liability of breakage of socket S as compared with the sockets having lugs with which the fastening screws engaged directly as formerly. As shown, yoke Y is struck up out of thin sheet metal, but obviously it.

may be otherwise formed; and although adapted to be fastened to a base.

2. A lamp socket and a unitary engaging member constructed to slip over the socket and tighten upon the base thereof, said member having. opposite depressed ends provided with holes for fastening screws and sides turned edgewise adapted to engage about the socket.

3. A lamp socket and a-supporting plate having a hole in which said socket is entered and. open slots oppositely from said hole, in combination with a fastening member sleeved over the said socket and secured by screws through said slots.

4. A fastening device for lamp sockets 'shown in one unbroken piece I may divide I consisting of a yoke made of sheet metal In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature and having two sides tluii-fned edgeiwise and in presence of two witnesses.

at extremities on a i erent ane rovided with perforations, said si es basing WILLIAM TREGONING' straight bottom engaging edges, and bent Witnesses:

outward between their ends to conform to E. M. Fisimn,

the shape of the socket. F. O. MUSSUN. D 

